Chapter 113: Thousand-Year Level
Night descended, and the forest became cold and deathly quiet.
The wind brushed past the treetops, producing hoarse, whispering sounds—like ghosts weeping in the dark.
Pale moonlight filtered through the gaps in the leaves, scattering across the ground in mottled patterns, serene yet chilling.
Stars shimmered faintly above, while distant insect chirps echoed through the stillness.
Inside the tent, Dugu Yan and Ye Lingling had already fallen asleep.
Outside, Meng Yiran had entered a state of shallow cultivation.
Unlike deep meditation, shallow cultivation allowed a Spirit Master to remain alert while still refining their Spirit Power.
Suddenly—
A faint rustling sound broke the silence.
Meng Yiran opened her eyes and scanned the surroundings. Thinking it was merely the wind stirring the leaves, she paid it little attention.
What she didn't notice was that, about ten meters away, within a cluster of bushes, a small shadow had silently crept closer.
It was a petite feline Spirit Beast.
Its body was covered in cyan-black fur, and its violet-red eyes gleamed with ferocity.
The base color of its fur was cyan, overlaid with black, curling demonic patterns resembling tiger stripes.
At first glance, it looked somewhat similar to the Variegated Cat they had encountered earlier.
But that was where the similarity ended.
This was no gentle creature.
This was a Tiger Demon Cat, a Spirit Beast known for its extreme aggression.
Hidden in the darkness, the teacher secretly assigned to protect the trio had an uncertain expression.
From the fur coloration, he could determine that this Tiger Demon Cat was close to the thousand-year level.
If its base fur turned black with cyan halo-like markings, it would officially become a thousand-year Spirit Beast.
Though its body was only about two feet long, it exuded a powerful sense of pressure.
From a Spirit Master's perspective, the Tiger Demon Cat belonged to the agility-attack type—fast and deadly.
It possessed both wind and darkness attributes, similar to the Dark Devilgod Tiger.
This dual attribute was a key reason for its formidable offensive power.
Of course, it was far from the level of the Dark Devilgod Tiger.
Even so, its strength surpassed that of ordinary thousand-year Spirit Beasts.
The hidden teacher hesitated.
If he intervened, the three girls would be eliminated.
But if he didn't… Meng Yiran could be in real danger.
At that moment—
The Tiger Demon Cat suddenly transformed into a streak of black shadow and lunged straight at Meng Yiran.
Its front claws extended, shimmering coldly in the moonlight as they slashed toward her throat.
A killing strike from the very beginning.
As it pounced, a pair of small wings sprouted from its ribs.
Though short, they allowed it to unleash explosive speed and even glide briefly through the air.
Just as the claws were about to reach her—
Meng Yiran sensed the danger.
Without time to think, her Martial Soul activated instinctively. She rolled across the ground, narrowly evading the fatal strike.
As they crossed paths—
Rip!
The sound of tearing fabric rang out.
"Yan-yan Jie! Wake up—there's a Spirit Beast!"
Meng Yiran clutched her serpent staff with one hand while holding her other arm.
Three bloody gashes marked her arm, flesh torn open.
The Tiger Demon Cat stood not far away, baring its fangs.
A chill ran through Meng Yiran's heart.
If she hadn't reacted in time, that attack would have struck her neck.
She might have been gravely injured—or worse.
"What happened?"
Taking advantage of the moment, Dugu Yan and Ye Lingling rushed out of the tent.
There was no need for explanation.
They both saw the Tiger Demon Cat immediately.
Spirit Power surged as both released their Martial Souls.
In Ye Lingling's hands bloomed a delicate pink begonia—her Nine Heart Begonia.
Its petals, a blend of white and soft pink, were vibrant and elegant.
Leaves and vines draped gracefully, swaying like flowing hair, exuding a gentle and refined beauty.
Two yellow spirit rings hovered around her.
The glow from their spirit rings illuminated the dark night slightly.
Hidden nearby, the observing teacher finally let out a breath of relief.
He had been ready to intervene—but Meng Yiran had held on.
"You're injured?"
Ye Lingling quickly noticed the wound.
Her spirit ring lit up.
A faint fragrance spread as a white beam of light descended from above.
The light took the form of drifting flower petals, gently falling before merging into Meng Yiran's body.
In an instant—
The horrifying wound healed completely.
Not even a scar remained.
Meng Yiran felt as if her entire body had been reborn. She stared blankly at her arm.
If not for the torn sleeve revealing her smooth skin, she might have believed it was all an illusion.
Looking at the exquisite Nine Heart Begonia, she murmured,
"Th-this… Lingling Jie, your Martial Soul is so beautiful…"
It was her first time seeing it, and she couldn't help but be captivated.
"Careful!"
Dugu Yan's voice rang out.
Her emerald serpent tail—shimmering with Jade phosphorus—lashed out violently in front of Meng Yiran.
The Tiger Demon Cat, which had lunged again, twisted midair using its wings and narrowly avoided the strike.
Boom!
The jade-scaled tail slammed into the ground.
"Lingling, be careful. Yiran and I will handle it!"
"Yiran—attack!"
As her words fell, Dugu Yan's first spirit ring flared.
Jade phosphorus Red Poison spread instantly over the three of them.
This stimulating toxin heightened their nerves, increasing both attack power and speed.
Dugu Yan twisted her serpentine body and charged forward.
Meng Yiran followed, her serpent staff striking toward the Tiger Demon Cat.
The two attacked from opposite sides, forming a deadly pincer.
The Tiger Demon Cat refused to sit and wait for death.
It dashed forward, then suddenly ascended using its wings as it approached Dugu Yan.
Its target—
Ye Lingling behind them.
It intended to eliminate the support Spirit Master first.
Clever.
But Dugu Yan wouldn't allow it.
She parted her lips, releasing a cloud of purple poison that surged toward the beast.
Her third spirit skill—
Jade phosphorus Purple Poison.
Its toxicity was terrifying—anything it touched would rapidly dissolve.
Sensing the danger, the Tiger Demon Cat was forced to halt midair.
Though the poison missed directly, it completely blocked its path.
"Yiran—restrain it!"
Meng Yiran's second spirit ring lit up.
Her serpent staff came alive, extending like a living creature and coiling toward the Tiger Demon Cat.
At that moment, the beast had just exhausted its previous momentum and couldn't evade in time.
The staff wrapped tightly around it.
The other end remained firmly in Meng Yiran's grasp.
This was her second spirit skill—Serpent Body.
It granted her snake-like flexibility and poison resistance, while also imbuing her weapon with serpentine traits.
Dugu Yan didn't hesitate.
She released another burst of purple poison.
This time, the Tiger Demon Cat was completely engulfed.
Within moments—
Its body dissolved into a pool of blood midair.
A deep yellow spirit ring slowly condensed into form.